Odette's Plea
by HockeyAngel
Summary: R&R please! This is actualy an assignment for my college creative writting class(real description inside)
1. Chapter 1

OK, this is an assignment for my college creative writing class. I was supposed to take a classic (Phantom counts!) and add a character. Because we were supposed to do a book, some of this is like the book, but my prof is a huge phan of the movie and the musical so I get extra credit if I keep some or all of the lyrics in my story. Anyway, I would really appreciate it if you guys would read this and let me know what you think before I have to turn it in. THANK YOU GUYS A TON!

My official disclaimer:  
I do not own the Phantom, Christine, Raoul, et al. I do not own any parts of this story that comes from Gaston Leroux nor Andrew Lloyd Webber. However, I do own Odette and all of her antics! They are from my own twisted brain

**_Chapter 1_**

A young woman sat quietly at one of the many cafés along the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. She knew that if one listened to all the idle gossip around them one would hear something worth listening to, she always did. Moreover, she knew that someday the gossip would lead to Him; she had to find him, and prove that she had truly loved him. She ran a hand through her loosely curled red hair as her mind wandered up the Avenue, towards the Opéra popularié, if Erik were in this city of lights that would be where she, Odette would find him.  
As if reading her thoughts a nearby voice asked excitedly "Have you heard the stories of the Opera Ghost?" Odette raised her eyebrow and turned to look at the voice. A small blond girl, whose actions could only be those of a dancer, was sitting with a man who was undoubtedly noble, a Baron or maybe even a Count, just behind Odette; the dancer had been the source of the gossip.  
"Opera Ghost?" The man sounded entirely too pompous.  
"Oh yes," said the dancer excitedly "Everyone has seen him, he wanders the corridors of the Opera in dress cloths and a cape. He is hideously deformed, with a head like a _skull_. The corps de ballet are dreadfully frightened of him. There is a rumor that he will appear at tonight's Gala." The dancer rattled on with her Opera gossip, as Odette stopped listening.  
_ He may be deformed but Erik's face is hardly a death mask,_ Odette reflected angrily. Sternly, she reminded herself that this "ghost" still may not be the man she was looking for. However, the dancer had mentioned a Gala, a perfect time to see who or what this ghost really was.

Odette slipped into a side courtyard at the Opera, where the cast and crew would enter, she would be less noticed here and could avoid having to identify herself in the front. She had learned from her concierge that tonight's Gala was to welcome new managers and bid farewell to the old, meaning that if anyone who knew the old managers noticed Odette they would assume that she was a guest of the new managers and vice versa. Looking around the courtyard Odette saw a horseshoe nailed to the doorpost, probably hung there by some chorus girl for luck. Feeling that she needed what luck she could gather Odette caressed the horseshoe as she entered the crowded opera instantly blending into the crowd. She wondered back stage keeping to the shadows watching and listing for more news about this Opera Ghost. Soon, she heard the startled cries of five or six girls from down the hall, followed by a group of young ballerinas running towards her from the vicinity of the stage. The girls swept by her and into a dressing room at the end of the hall. Intrigued, Odette followed the girls and stood silently listening outside the door.  
"La Sorelli, It's the ghost!" one whimpered dramatically and Odette heard the lock click shut. _If you indeed fear a ghost, locking the door wouldn't keep him out_ she thought with a slight smile. The silliness of ballerinas had always fascinated her.  
"Have you seen him?" asked someone whom Odette recognized as the dancer from the café, which must be La Sorelli. Several excited voices went on to explain that the ballerinas had seen a man in dress cloths that had appeared so suddenly he seamed to emerge from the very walls. Again Odette smiled, that sounded just like her Erik, how often had he appeared seemingly out of nowhere startling her. He had once told her that with a face like his you learned to become invisible, and he had taught her most of his tricks, she could now easily melt into shadows and crowds. Thinking about this Odette accidentally brushed the door of the dressing room with her silk skirts, inside the dressing room, the girls had gone silent, and a fearful voice whispered, "Listen!" Afraid they would open the door and find her Odette slipped into an open room across the hall and watched the La Sorelli standing in the doorway holding a small dagger, seeing no one the dancer returned to her room and Odette slowly returned to listen at the door.  
"You know, the Persian has the evil eye." She herd one of the girls inside say. Odette grinned slyly as she herd the girls tell of how the ghost had been spotted with a mysterious Persian earlier that week. She left the door and headed towards the noise that could only indicate the real party. _So, the Daroga is here too Odette mused he must be trying to control Erik, I must find him, he could take me to Erik!_ Odette saw the man from the café rushing up the stairs towards her and at the same time herd the ballerinas leave the dressing room at a run, quickly she dropped in to the shadows at the top of the stairs to let the girls pass. La Sorelli and the man from the café paused on the stairs, and Odette learned that someone named Christine Daaé had triumphed at the Gala, and a man name Joseph Bouquet had been found dead behind some scenery pieces. Odette felt her blood turn to ice, especially when she herd that the rope had not been found. _So, Erik is here, and he still knows how to throw a Punjab!_ Odette followed the Ballerinas from the stairs to the foyer of the opera, where she mixed with the crowd. Everyone was buzzing about Bouquet's death, the Opera Ghost, and Christine. Odette began to listen closely to the stories of Christine, she was the daughter of a famous violinist and was rumored to have been an amazing singer in her youth; however, she had lost all interest in her art after her father's death. But tonight, tonight the girl had sung so magnificently that her triumph overshadowed the talk of murder! People were talking about how after her song she had fainted crying and had been herd saying that she had not known her own voice. Odette had caught a glimpse of the girl before she was carried back to her dressing room. Something about this girl was irking Odette, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Abruptly, Odette was dragged from her thoughts of Christine by a cry of "The Opera Ghost!" by one of the young ballerinas she had been listing to in the dressing room. Odette turned to where the girl pointed and saw a man with pale skin, almost no nose, and a mask covering the right side of his face. His eyes were so deep sunk that they almost appeared to be the holes in a skull. Odette was startled; the man looked so close to death that Odette doubted he was the man she had once loved, and yet it had to be, that lack of nose the mask… Then the man's deep sunken eyes met hers and she saw the look of utter astonishment that crossed his features, and then he was gone, disappeared into the crowd. Odette stood rooted to the ground with disbelief; it had been Erik she had seen it in his eyes, but what had happened to him? He looked so sick and haunted. His usually distorted face had indeed looked like a skull, and he had fled from her! She had not meant to be seen so soon, but if anything she had expected Erik to treat her with anger not…well, not fear!


	2. Chapter 2

**_Chapter 2_**

Odette stood on Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris, wondering if it would all be easier if she simply jumped in to the swirling waters of the Seine, knowing that she never would. The weakness she would show by committing suicide sickened her. Odette had spent much of her life in Persia at the palace of Mazenderan; she had been a friend of the sultana, the sultana had been the reason she met Erik. Life near foreign royalty had given Odette a stronger personality than was proper for a European woman of the time, but she had long ago given up caring. She knew that she must go back to the Opera and find the Daroga. She also felt a need to talk to Christine Daaé, there was something about her that was still bothering Odette. Most of all Odette needed to find a way to talk to Erik, she had to convince him that she loved him, she had traveled the world for five years hoping that somehow she would find him again. _I love him so_; Odette told the river as it rushed under her feet, _can I make him believe that I have always truly loved him? The Opera should be almost empty at this time in the morning, maybe I can wonder around a bit and try to figure out what to do; maybe Erik will even come to me if I am alone_. She laughed at herself as she unconsciously reached for the dagger she kept hidden in the folds of her skirt. _Does he make me that nervous_; she wondered _would he actually follow through on his threat to kill me if I ever followed him? I must go to the Opera! _With that Odette started walking, she loved to walk early in the morning when the city was still shrouded in mist from the river, it reminded her of her brief affair with Erik. He used to walk the palace grounds with her in the early mornings, when there was no one else around.

_She had met the mysterious man in the palace. She was walking down the empty hall to her suit when she herd the voice, "I could give you such a voice, you could astonish the Gods," the voice whispered. Odette looked down the hall, but there was no one there. Shaking her head in confusion, Odette kept walking. "I could teach you to sing, to really sing," said the voice a little uncertain this time. Now Odette saw him, a man leaning against the wall wearing dark dress cloths despite the Persian heat, a white mask covered half his face. His voice was so soft and beautiful it kept Odette rooted to the spot, speechless. Odette tried to speak, she wanted to make the voice speak again, but her voice wouldn't obey, the best that she could do was nod silently. The man smiled and sang softly "Come to me my Angel of Music" and he held out his hand to her. Still too awestruck to talk Odette trustingly took his hand and allowed herself to be lead away. _

Odette jumped as a hansom nearly ran her over and her mind returned to her current settings, she found that her feet had found their way to the Place de l'Opera and she now stood staring up at the impressive Opera building. A coach rattled up behind her and Odette was surprised to see Christine Daaé get out and walk towards the entrance. _I have never known a Diva to get up at 8 o'clock the morning after a Gala to return to the Opera. I wonder what she's up to?_ Quietly, Odette followed Christine who was completely oblivious to the presence of any one else. Curiously Odette followed Christine across the foyer and towards the dressing rooms.  
"Bonjour" Odette called softly realizing that she had no reason to follow this girl.  
Christine jumped and whirled around, but seemed oddly happy to see the stranger "Bonjour?"  
Odette smiled trying to thing of an excuse of just why she was following this girl. Odette noticed that devoid of the garish stage make up this girl was beautiful and so young! She had tightly curled hair, so dark it was almost black, and a pale complexion with brown eyes that sparkled in the morning sun.  
"Can I help you, are you lost?" asked Christine, confused.  
"Oh, no I'm sorry! I'm, um, a friend of the new managers and I was just taking a look around their investment." Suddenly Odette had an idea, "Actually, I was asked to look into the problem of the Opera Ghost. See if I could figure out who's behind it."  
"Or what" Christine said, but Odette saw a shadow of doubt cross Christine's eyes.  
"No. I'm sure it's a person. There is no ghost, no 'Angel of Music'" Odette said bitterly.  
"No A-Angel of Music?" the girl asked, looking scandalized.  
"Yes, some say the Angel of Music haunts places like this."  
"You will never find him!" Christine sounded outraged.  
"...If Erik doesn't want to be found." A look of absolute fear crossed Christine's face, so this girl did know him!  
"Tell Erik that Odette knows he's here, and I will find him" Odette replied turning to leave.  
"Wait!" Odette turned back; Christine had gone completely pale "You've actually seen him, you've seen the Angel?"  
"Of course I have, at least I've seen the man who calls himself the Angel of Music." Again, Christine looked scandalized. "My God, you haven't have you?"  
"No, he sings to me, my angel of music, the angel of my father, in my dressing room, he taught me to sing…" Christine's voice trailed into awkward silence.  
"…In your dressing room? He's the reason you sang so well last night and the reason you're here now, isn't he?"  
"I-I I have to go!" Looking terrified Christine rushed off before Odette could say anything else.  
_"So, Erik has another pupil"_ Odette thought aloud staring in the direction Christine had fled. Wondering what to do next, she turned and left the empty Opera house.

Once locked safely in her dressing room Christine began to wonder about what the strange woman had said. Could it be true, could her Angel, who was indeed called Erik, be a mere mortal, a _man_ named Erik. How could that be his voice came from the very walls! Yet, how had this woman, Odette, known exactly what Christine was doing here. Odette had seemed so certain that Christine's Angel was this man. She would ask him, when he came to her today.  
"You are late!" Christine smiled at the beautifully soft man's voice that spoke to her from somewhere near the floor length mirror on her right.  
"I'm sorry, I was stopped in the foyer" Christine spoke quickly. "By a woman named Odette, who said to tell Erik that she knows he's here, that she'll find you." Christine added wondering what the voice would have to say about this strange message.  
"O-Odette?" For the first time ever the voice sounded speechless!  
"Yes, a tall girl with red hair, and a strange accent. She said that there was no Angel of Music, that I had been hearing a man named Erik." The voice had no response. Christine was afraid that she had scared it away. "Erik, Angel please don't leave me!" She cried now unsure of what to call the voice.  
"I am here" but the voice sounded cold and distant. Christine still feared that she would loose the voice, and yet she had to know if she spoke to a man or an Angel."Are you this man she spoke of?" Christine asked timidly.  
The voice was silent for a moment then replied softly "I have not seen Odette in years. Why is she here!" he roared the last part, sounding so bitter and angry that Christine was scared in to silence. "We will not sing today!" Erik said roughly and though she cried to him, the voice had disappeared.

How could she dare to come back, dare to find him again, the treacherous snake! She was indeed a lying Delilah! She had promised him her love, but in the last days at Mazenderan she had betrayed him, she could never have truly loved him! Nevertheless, a part of him doubted that, she had acted so loving. She had never even shirked from his deformed face, but she had betrayed him! She had simply been a great actress, as she had been a great singer; Erik smiled in remembrance of her voice. Nearly as good as Christine, no she had been as good just very different. Christine's voice was sweet and gentle; she could sing any aria and credenza he asked of her. Odette had hade an amazing range, but in lower notes, she had never been able to sing a cadenza properly, she would have never be fit as an Opera Diva.

_Odette had loved the graceful Arabians of Mazenderan and had spent a lot of time with them. He had seen her out in the fields riding one of the more difficult Arabian stallions with amazing ease and grace. He knew, at that moment, that he must speak to her somehow, without her seeing his accursed face. He watched her until nearly half an hour later when she finally dismounted and handed the horse over to one of the stable hands. Hastily, Erik moved into a grove of trees near her path, waiting for the girl to pass. She walked up the path singing to herself, Erik was stunned by her voice. With a little training, she could be quite good! He had to make himself known to this Angel! Like a ghost, he had followed her._

No! He must not think of Odette, of the good times at Mazenderan. He had to remember that for all the time he had thought she loved him there was the painful betrayal when he had been chased from Mazenderan, from Persia under pain of death. He laughed, how many times he thought of going back, death was preferable to living hidden and alone in the cellars of the Opera. Until the day he had heard Christine, she like Odette, had possessed a voice that he knew he could train, he could make her a true Diva! This time he had been careful, he would never foolishly show himself! He had heard her pray to her father for an Angel of Music, so Erik had become her Angel. He already had enough power over the managers to ensure she was given the dressing room at the end of the hall; it was ideally suited to his needs. It was far away from the others, with walls so paper thin he could easily make himself heard though them, and the mirror! The mirror was made so he could see into the room but no one could see him and it opened into a hall leading to his cellars. This room was so perfect that Erik had often wondered if someone before him had this idea, of seducing one of the dancers without being seen, he had often wondered who.  
_Why had Odette dared to come back? Why must she torture him! Was it possible that she had loved him, that Mazenderan hadn't been a lie, that she had been searching for him all these years?_ No, no, no! He could never allow himself to doubt her betrayal! She had come back to torture him again.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Chapter 3_**

Once again, Odette found herself on the Place de l'Opera wondering what to do. She really didn't know anymore now than she had before. Erik was at the Opera, she had seen that last night, and he had a new pupil, a girl who had never seen him. Odette grimaced, she was sure this girl could sing as she had never been able to. Erik used to get so frustrated that she couldn't sing an Opera, and yet he _had_ loved her, and she him! _There must be someway to prove how much I still care! _

Odette wondered the streets, _there must be some servants around, they always know the goings-on, and are always willing to gossip!_ With a wicked smile, she hailed a hansom back to her hotel. Half an hour later, Odette observed herself in the mirror, she had pulled her stunning red hair back into a sloppy bun, pulled on a plain grey dress, and using dark make-up, she had given herself a swarthy complexion that helped hide her freckles. Satisfied with her new appearance Odette hurried back to the Opera. She walked confidently through the courtyard entrance, again caressing the horseshoe on her way in. Once inside Odette realized that she had no idea where to find anything in this huge Opera house.

"Are you the new maid?" A woman asked.

"Oh, thank the Gods in Heaven!" Odette muttered under her breath. "Yes, I've never worked anywhere this intimidating!" Odette replied, pretending to look nervously at this new woman, while in reality she quickly examined her; she was medium height, a tad on the plump side, but looked vaguely cunning, with masses of gorgeous dark hair, and a pair of green eyes to kill for.

"Names Carla, come on then, we'll get supplies, you're needed "Names Carla, come on then, we'll get supplies, you're needed in the manager's office now." Carla turned and swept down the chamber.

"Thank you!" Odette cried, rushing after Carla and gratefully thanked whoever had mounted the lucky horseshoe at the Opera's entrance. "Are all of the rumors true? Is there an Opera ghost?" Odette asked, feigning ignorance.

"Yes," the woman replied simply, and quickened her pace. A minute later, she added, sadly "He killed a man name Joseph Bouquet at last nights Gala." Something about the immense sadness in her voice made Odette curious.

"Did you know this man very well?"

"Oh yes," her face was momentarily lit up, then looking sheepish she quickly added, "Joseph was well liked." Inwardly, Odette grinned, while she had no doubt the man was well liked but she also had no doubt that this woman had been Bouquet's lover. "We… um, lived together," Carla added, flipping her magnificent hair and having the decency to blush, slightly. Soon the woman opened the biggest 'broom closet' Odette hade ever seen, shelves upon shelves of cleaning supplies lined a room that, judging by its size could have once housed one of the Opera's divas. "Here are your things," the woman pushed a horde of supplies into Odette's arms. "Go up those stairs over there" the woman nodded off in some vague direction, "go up two flights, you'll find yourself in a large lobby, the managers office is at the far end of that lobby," with that she bustled off, giving her brilliant hair one last shake.

After a moments confused wandering Odette found the right set of stairs and entered the manager's office. She was particularly disappointed to find the room empty, she was stuck cleaning with out even getting some more gossip out of the gig. Less than twenty minutes later, assuring herself that the room was clean enough, Odette wandered the Opera house excitedly watching all of the bustling activity. She wandered through a massive door and found herself in another courtyard, this one housing twelve matching white horses. Odette beamed, and walked towards the biggest of the horses, which was being saddled by an equally giant man. She had no idea that once again Erik was watching her from the shadows. Erik beamed, _she's in the Opera for half an hour and she has already found the stables, it took me two week to realize they were out here!_

"I'm Lachenel, and this 'ere's César" said the man saddling the horse as he watched Odette reverently stroke the horses thick white neck.

"He's absolutely gorgeous! Can he be ridden?" She couldn't resist asking.

"Do _you_ ride?" The giant asked in doubtfully.

"Of course I do." Odette replied indignantly, from his shadow Erik laughed.

The man smirked and said, "I'd like to see you ride 'im then…over those jumps." With that, he nodded to a ring with several jumps nearly four feet high spaced around it.

If there was one thing Odette loved it was a dare, especially one that involved a good horse! "I can handle those jumps, long as this horse of yours can!" She replied sassily.

The stud-groom snorted and cupped his hands to offer Odette a leg-up. With a sly smile, Odette leapt to the horses back, without anyone's help. _She always was a stubborn show-off_ Erik remembered, a trifle resentfully. Odette lead César gracefully to the ring and circled at a flawless canter. The stud-groom watched her with obvious disbelief. Seeing his shock Odette spun César into the jumps, leaping each as if she and the massive horse were one. She then calmly slowed him to a walk and dismounted elegantly handing the reins to the awed stud-groom. She smiled, but had the grace not to say, "I told you so" as she sauntered back inside the Opera; the stud-groom stood slack jawed watching her depart.

Two days later César would disappear, stolen by the Phantom, for reasons unbeknownst to anyone but himself and perhaps Odette.

Odette drifted back into the opera towards a buzz of female voices. _Ah-ha, the ballet dormitories!_ Odette wanted to speak to Christine again, and find what she knew about Erik and the Daroga. Odette slipped into a nearby dressing room and removed most of the dark makeup, returning her skin to its normal freckled pallor, and freed her hair from its bun. Changed back into her normal self (with the exception of the ugly grey dress she had been wearing) Odette strode confidently into the dormitories. She was immediately stopped by a formidable lady with a long graying braid who must be the house mother, Madame Giry. Odette once again lied about knowing the new managers, and was admitted into the dormitories without further question. Odette began asking around for Christine and was told, in no uncertain terms by Mme Giry, that the singer's whereabouts were none of her concern. A lithe blond girl whispered that Christine had been ill and was resting _away_ from the Opera. Mme Giry came over, enraged, telling the dancers not to engage in idle gossip with strangers. Under Mme Giry's threatening glare Odette fled the dormitories, still unsure of where to find Christine, the Daroga, or Erik. Odette began to explore again, nearly running into a young man who was knocking franticly on a dressing room door.

"Can I help you monsieur?"

"I'm looking for Mademoiselle Daaé. Have you seen her?" The man sounded frenzied.

"I hear that she's ill, but she was here this morning. I'm Odette." She added, holding her hand out to him.

"Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny" he replied taking her hand and giving it a polite kiss, "the pleasure's all mine." Odette smiled, charmed by his good looks and polite manner.

"You saw Christine this morning?" _Christine, eh? So, this man knows her fairly well, good for Mademoiselle Daaé, a chorus girl doesn't often catch a Vicomte! _

"Oui, but the ballerinas say she went home ill. Why do you need her?"

"I need to talk to her…about a voice." For some reason the Vicomte trusted this stranger.

"Really? I was going to ask her about an 'Angel' that she hears every day, from this dressing room. Have you heard it too?" Odette was surprised; Erik must not have known about this man, he would never purposely let himself be heard by someone else.

"You know what I heard? What do you mean Angel? What is he doing with Christine?" _This man not only knows her, he loves her! A Vicomte loves the chorus girl Erik is training, that won't make him happy! This man had better watch himself. _

"She thinks she hears an angel," Odette sighed wondering how much to tell this man, "but I suspect a man named Erik. I knew him once; he's teaching her how to sing."

"She can already sing! She's been singing since she was three years old!"

"You heard her last night; she never sang like that before, did she?" The Vicomte nodded gently.

"She told…this Erik…that she sang only for him. He asked for her love, she told him that she had given him her soul. She must know that it is a man she speaks too!" Odette raised an eyebrow, how had he heard all that? Was the Vicomte listening at doors, how delightfully improper. She smiled but decided to keep her suspicions to herself.

"Can we go somewhere…else to discuss this?" She asked instead, Odette didn't feel comfortable telling Erik's story in _his_ Opera house. The Vicomte nodded.

Twenty minutes later Raoul lead Odette into the library at the Chagny mansion, a maid brought them tea, (hmm…how very English considering this is Paris, oh well) and Raoul closed the door after her. "Tell me about this man." He demanding turning on Odette and watching her intently.

"He is a musical genius; I met him many years ago in Persia. He taught me how to sing, but he believes now that I betrayed him. He was driven from Persia for murders he never committed, now he's here, and I believe he's training Mademoiselle Daaé. He won't let himself be seen, so he let her think she's hearing an Angel. The angel of her father, I believe." The Vicomte sunk into a large red leather armchair.

"Why won't he let her see him?" Odette pointedly ignored the Vicomte's question.

"I told her about him this morning, I'm afraid he may try to kidnap her, to keep her with him. Vicomte, we must keep her away from him!"

"Raoul" he corrected her, "How?"

"Raoul," she amended "have you ever seen a man, a Persian, in the Opera?"

"The dancers talk about him, no one knows why he is there, but I have never seen him."

"He was the chief of police, a Daroga, back in Persia, I'm sure he's here to keep an eye on Erik. I need to find him; he should be able to lead me to Erik."

"Then we will find the Persian!" _He's so dramatic_ Odette thought with a laugh. "Where are you staying?" He asked unexpectedly, Odette raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"I'm at the Hôtel Lumière, why?" Odette asked, knowing exactly what the Vicomte would say.

"I just thought it might be easier to keep track of each other if you stayed in the guest room here." Odette looked at Raoul critically he had seemed so honest and naive.

"Would that be proper? I'm not a Comtess."

"I can let anyone sleep in my guest room, Comtess or not." He countered vehemently. "I just thought that if you were here it would be easier to keep Christine safe." He sounded offended, _rightfully so_ Odette thought, embarrassedly wondering why she always assumed the worst in people.

"I would be honored to stay here." She answered demurely.

"Let us find the Persian!" Raoul cried, leaping from his chair. Again, Odette was tempted to laugh at his dramatization.


	4. Chapter 4

Once again, Odette and Raoul entered the Opera House. Odette suggested that they split up, try to find the Persian, and meet back at Christine's dressing room in an hour. Odette watched the Vicomte leave, and then dashed to Christine's dressing room. _I know Erik has a way to get in here!_ Odette thought as she carefully examined the dressing room's paper-thin walls. Within moments she heard _his_ voice!

"Why have you come here?" Erik roared, his voice like thunder.

"Where are you? Erik, come out." Odette looked around the room trying to see where Erik hid. A dazzling light shown from the mirror and she watched it lift aside. There stood Erik, straight and tall as always, dressed in a dark velvet tuxedo, the same black cape lined with ivory silk, and the white mask covering the entire right side of his face. As she had been the first time she saw him Odette was speechless. 

"Come with me" Erik demanded holding out one gloved hand to Odette. She took his hand, without hesitation, and he led her away down a dank passage, down several stories to a gondola tied at the edge of a vast underground lake. "Get in." She obeyed and he rowed (do you row a gondola, or do you push…or pole?) her across the mist shrouded lake, at the far end of the lake stood a beautiful open house, looking quite out of place in the darkness of the cellars. Odette noticed that there was no sunlight, and she wondered distractedly why Erik kept himself from real light now. Erik tied the boat and escorted Odette up some stairs and into the house. The house was lit with hundreds of candles, Odette observed a gigantic pipe organ lining one wall, and caught a glimpse of a swan shaped bed covered in red sheets in the bedroom. Odette smirked, remembering that bed, how had he ever smuggled that out of Persia? She was jerked from her memories as Erik roughly threw her into a stiff wooden chair and began pacing the room, "Why have you come here? Have you not tormented me enough, you charlatan! I told you I would kill you if you tried to find me again. Why have you come?" Erik nearly shrieked in rage, and for the first time in her life Odette was afraid of the man she loved.

"Erik!" Odette cried. "Erik I came here because I love you! I always have. I never meant to hurt you in Mazenderan." Odette saw him flinch at the name. Softly she sang, "Erik I love you!" She realized that tears were streaming down her face and her voice was shaking, but she didn't care he had to believe her!

"You never meant to hurt me!" He roared again. "Never meant to hurt me, you betrayed me, let the sultana think I murdered those people, if it weren't for the Daroga I would be dead! You never loved me!"

"Don't be a fool Erik!" Odette snapped. "Of course I loved you, I have spent the last five years of my life searching for you! I was thrown out of Persia too, that night." He looked surprised, "You never knew that, did you? That wicked little sultana knew you were innocent; she had me locked in her room when I went there to plead for your life! I sent the Daroga to save you! After you and the Daroga disappeared, she had me thrown out of the country! I have been searching for you ever since." 

"I used to make that little sultana laugh, why would she kill me?" Erik demanded, but Odette heard a hint of doubt in Erik's voice.

"She was facing a dilemma, even a Sultana can't admit to so many killings. She needed a scapegoat and you were it. Everyone knew you could throw the Punjab, you had taught her. It was easy to convince them that you had committed those murders."

"You had killed too, with those knives of yours." Odette flinched; yes she too had killed her share in Mazenderan. Erik watched her cringe, and felt bad for making her remember those times. Still, she had been a genius with throwing knives, she could have pinned a fly to the wall from across the room.

"For good reason." Odette snapped, furious. "But I can't throw a Punjab; you can and did. Often, if I remember." _You killed much more than I did!_ Odette reflected, her temper flaring dangerously.

"So why have you come here now? How did you find me?" Erik demanded, curiously.

"I love you; I had to make you understand. I heard stories about a ghost that haunted this Opera House; I knew it had to be you." Suddenly Erik lunged for her; she felt his hands on her neck. Her fingers closed on her dagger and she pressed the blade against his stomach. "I will bury this blade in your stomach before you can so much as bruise my neck." She growled, her voice was cold and angry. "Why must you kill the one woman who truly loves you?" Erik's hands loosened, and he steeped away, Odette returned the dagger to its sheath, hidden in the folds of her skirt. Erik looked at her for a moment, and turned away, ashamed. He sunk to the floor his face hidden in his hands. Odette stood where he had left her, still enraged.

"Why have you come back now? I thought you had betrayed me, I thought Mazenderan was just an act. Odette, I've found a new girl, I love Christine now." His voice trailed off. Odette stared at him for a moment, and then she slowly advanced; crouched next to him and rested her hand on his shoulder.

"Erik, this girl has never even seen you, until this morning she didn't even know you were a man; she thought you were the angel of her father. How can you love her, you don't even truly know her. Where is she now?" Odette demanded realizing she hadn't seen the girl yet. "Erik, what have you done with her?"

"I have done nothing, she went home, I wouldn't sing with her today, not after she told me you were back." Erik grinned evilly and added, "You were wrong I did not try to kidnap her."

"How did you know that I feared that?" Odette asked apprehensively.

"I know more than just what happens at the Opera." He replied with a smirk. Erik slowly rose to his feet and stood there staring at Odette. _I can't believe she is back! She loves me! Or so she says_, he reminded himself _what if she is still acting, what if she is saying she loves me to save this girl?_

"I had to find you again," Odette said quietly to break the silence. Suddenly Erik grabbed her again, around the waist this time, and Odette was back in his arms where she knew she belonged. She ran her fingers under his mask pulling it off, and kissed him before he could react, her hand resting on his scared face. Erik kissed her back, actually lifting her off her feet, enjoying the feel of her in his arms once again. _This woman betrayed me!_ He mussed angrily. _I can't let her back into my life; this is all a clever plot to help Christine escape from me!_ With those jealous thoughts, Erik threw Odette from him, to the floor. Stunned she picked herself up, "What the hell was that?"

"You just want to save Christine!" 

"Erik you sound like a jealous idiot. I hardly even know this girl, and I certainly didn't know her five years ago when I started searching for you! Does she even need to be saved?" Odette's voice shook with anger and alarm.

"I love her." 

"She has never even seen your face, Erik; can you be sure she loves you back?"

"She will! I love her, I killed for her, and neither you nor that bloody Vicomte of hers can change that fact. Christine will be mine! You can do what you want, but I will be with her some day, she will make me happy, _she_ will never betray me!" Erik hastily snatched his mask from Odette and but it back on.

Odette didn't know what to say in the face of this rampage, so instead she asked, "You did kill for her, what did Bouquet do?"

"How do you know I killed Bouquet?" 

"Everyone was talking about his death and how the rope could not be found, I assumed that you had killed him with the Punjab, and didn't want to loose it. Why did you kill him?" 

"Bouquet was a pimp" Erik stated plainly, "and, the night I killed him, he was trying to find a way into my house." 

Odette laughed, "He was a pimp, under Mme Giry's nose? She's far to imposing to allow something like that to go on with her girls."

"Giry never knew, he and that cow Carla, had pimped out most of the dancers. They were planning to pimp Christine. I couldn't let them get away with that." Erik was scandalized by the thought. "I love her too much." _He killed for me once too_, Odette shuddered slightly; _I wonder if he remembers that_. 

"Does she know why you killed him?" Erik shook his head, sadly. "Erik, what if she is afraid of you, what if…if she can't stand your face?" Odette moaned, wondering why she had gone so far. "Why must you chase her, you have my eternal love!" She rushed on to cover the comment about his deformity. It was just beginning to dawn on her that Erik was insisting that he wanted Christine instead of her; she really couldn't loose him again, not after all the time she had spent searching for him.

"She will love me!" He insisted one final time. Suddenly his demeanor changed, "Come I must take you back before the Vicomte misses you."

"Erik I can not leave you, I have searched too long!"

He sighed, still wanting to believe that she loved him. "Then you must return in two days time, sit in box five at that night's performance of Il Muto. I'll find you, I promise, but now you must leave!" Odette could think of nothing to do but obey him, so she followed him back, along a different path this time, to Christine's dressing room. She tried to grab Erik before he left but he disappeared so quickly he actually seemed to vanish. Seconds later Raoul entered the room reporting that he had been unable to find the Persian, they would have to come back tomorrow.

"No, Raoul we will come back in two days. I am sure Christine is safe for now. Can you get us two seats in box five for Il Muto?" If the Vicomte was surprised by this announcement and request, he was too polite to show it, a fact for which Odette was eternally grateful.

"Of course, consider it done. Shall we return home, mademoiselle?" With that, Raoul held out an arm for Odette and escorted her to a carriage waiting outside.


	5. Chapter 5

_Odette was laying in the golden swan bed, she woke up to the sounds of the most amazing organ music she had ever heard. Smiling softly she got up and pulled on a pale green silk robe she saw laying on a chair next to the bed. Quietly she walked to the bedroom door and stood listening to Erik play. He began to sing with his amazing voice soft as the morning sunlight that poured in through the open window. Sensing her eyes on his back Erik turned to look at her. "Don Juan?" she asked, already knowing that the exquisite music could be nothing else. Erik had nodded, so surprised to still see her standing in his house, he had been sure yesterday had been a dream. So sure that he had refused to let himself sleep, for fear of waking without her. She looked so stunning, her pale skin, that lustrous red hair, they went so well with the pale green of the robe. He walked towards her; he could now see that her eyes had changed from the grey he had seen yesterday, to a green that almost exactly matched the robe. She grinned at him her eyes flashing mischievously. She slipped her hand around his neck, twining her fingers in his dark hair; he pulled her closer and leaned down to kiss the beautiful woman that he still couldn't believe stood there, in his house, and finally in his arms. This had been the first time she had spent the night with him. She had been coming to him for almost three weeks now, and to his infinite wonder had never tried to see what was under his mask. Odette pulled away from him grinning, this affair had been the romantic fantasy that she had always dreamed of. The only thing tarnishing her dream was his mask, she had been politely ignoring it for the past couple of weeks, but now her curiosity was starting to get the better of her. "Erik, does the mask ever come off?" she asked trying to sound casual. He pushed her away from him, enraged, his hand flying to the mask, "You must never ask me again!" He roared at her._

Odette woke up in a cold sweat; she hadn't had that dream in years. It was a dream she had had almost everyday when she first lost Erik, it wasn't really a dream, it was a memory from the time before she had lost Erik. Restlessly, Odette rolled over and fell back into an agitated sleep.

_It was a few days later, again Odette awoke in the swan bed, this morning Erik was still in the room, he had actually slept last night. She rose, and bgreeted him with a kiss, slyly slipping her fingers under the edge of the mask, pulling it off. Erik threw her to the floor and began raging at her something about being a Delilah and a viper. She calmly rose to her feet and sunk onto the bed, raising her eyebrow as she calmly watched Erik storm around the room. Suddenly he stopped and stood facing her, "Is this what you wanted to see?" he demanded. Odette almost laughed at him, barely covering the laugh with a cough she asked evenly; "what, Erik? Surely all this fuss isn't over a broken nose and a few scars?" He looked at her openmouthed with amazement. "You aren't scared of me? You don't see a monster?" This time she did laugh, "A monster?" He still starred at her, unspeaking. She got up and crossed to him, placing one hand on his neck and pulling him to her, she rested the other hand on the scared right side of his face. He felt her hand on his scars, cool and gentle. Looking into her eyes he saw no sign of the fear he had expected, they too were cool and green. She smiled up at him and said tenderly, "No, Erik, I love you, no deformity in the world could change that. You ensnared me with your angel's voice, but I stay here for the man I will always love." Just when they should have kissed Erik began leering at her singing strange ditty about how he only loved Christine and not her. Then he began to laugh without stopping._

The Vicomte entered her room; he had heard her cries from his room down the hall. He saw her thrashing, tangled in the sheets, "Erik, Erik!" she moaned repeatedly. Unsure of what to do, Raoul took her awkwardly in his arms, "Odette, Odette wake up, please wake up!" Abruptly, she woke up and collapsed sobbing against the Vicomte's chest. "It's alright, my dear," he said clumsily stroking her head. Odette realized that she was crying in a near stranger's arms and felt foolish. She struggled to get a hold of herself trying to tell herself that the dream hadn't been so bad. "I'm so sorry," she said when her tears finally subsided. "You must think I'm such a fool…"  
"No," the Vicomte replied with infinite kindness. "I'm just beginning to realize that you are either very much in love with this creature or very afraid of him."  
"A little of both, I think. " _I think I'm beginning to hate him too!_ Odette realised with a start. She then realized that the Vicomte was still holding her, and oddly enough, it didn't feel as uncomfortable as she would have expected. In fact, she found that she trusted this stranger, and was relieved to be with him. "I think I'm alright now, thank you Raoul."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Oui, monsieur, thank you again."  
"Remember, I'm just down the hall, if you need anything." Raoul left with a faint smile. 

Feeling much safer, Odette fell back into a peaceful and mercifully dreamless sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Two days later, Odette was sitting in the Chagny dinning room eating her breakfast, under the disapproving glare, when Raoul entered looking perturbed.   
"What's wrong?" She asked. He looked up from the letter he was carrying, mystified. Shrugging he threw the letter to her, it was written on mourning paper, in strangely labored handwriting, and red ink. "Do not fear for Miss Daaé, the angel of music has her under his wing," she read aloud, "make no attempt to see her again." The note was simply signed "The Managers." "Can I see the envelope this came in?" she asked. Again, Raoul tossed the paper across the table at her. Odette's blood ran cold when she turned the envelope over and saw the seal, it was an intricate skull set in blood red wax. "Um…you had better ask the managers about this." Odette stammered, sure that the letter was from Erik. However, Odette was unwilling to alarm the Vicomte, she was surprised that he hadn't suspected with the 'angel of music' line, but if he didn't realize that was Erik…  
The Vicomte nodded angrily. "Get dressed," he demanded, "we are going to the Opera!"   
Raoul stormed in to the Opera, dragging Odette behind him, demanding that the managers explain the note. Odette was not at all surprised to hear that the Managers had also received notes, theirs signed O.G., asking for the Phantom's salary and demanding that Christine take the place of the current Diva, Carlotta.  
Moments later Carlotta herself waltzed into the Opera trailing an entourage. She too had received a note hers reading, "Your days at the Opera Populaire are numbered, Christine Daaé will be singing on your behalf. Be prepared for a great misfortune should you attempt to take her place." La Carlotta blamed Raoul for sending the note, and began to throw a world class temper tantrum. Luckily, Madame Giry entered followed by the blonde that had spoken to Odette in the dormitories. She informed everyone that Christine had returned and was now resting. She then produced a note of her own explaining that the other notes had been sent by the Phantom of the Opera, and detailing his plans for Il Muto, threating a disaster beyond the imagination should his demands be ignored. Again, Carlotta began to scream about this being a plot to help Christine, which in fact it was. Although it was planned by Erik and not Raoul as everyone suspected. While Carlotta screamed Odette squeezed Raoul's hand and slipped away to Christine's dressing room. "Erik! Erik, where are you? Let me through!" Odette plead, banging on the mirror. Once again the mirror shown with a brilliant light and opened, this time however, Erik was not there. Odette started down the corridor calling Erik as she went. She descended a flight of stairs to find the giant white horse she had seen in the Opera court a few days before. "Ceasér?" she asked, "What are you doing down her?" She noticed a note pinned to his saddle "Odette," it read, "I was expecting you to come about my notes. I saw you riding this horse, he can lead you to the lake, I'm sure you can find your way from there." Odette laughed and leapt to Ceasér's back, "Alright boy, lead me to him." Ceasér took off, flying down the passages, and in no time Odette found herself at the edge of the lake she had seen before. Now there was a corral, in which she left Ceasér. The gondola was still tied to the bank, and Odette jumped in and started pushing herself across the lake, wondering exactly how one was supposed to control a gondola. Once she had gotten almost halfway across the lake she heard the most amazing singing, sounding like it was coming from the bottom of the lake. Curious, Odette leaned over the side of the gondola trying to find the singer, when a memory of an ancient myth about sirens crossed her mind and she leapt back into the boat, and started to push the gondola as fast as she could. Finally, she reached the opposite bank and leapt from the boat, pulling it up on the bank after her. Erik came out of the house, to greet her and she turned on him, noticing that he was dripping wet, her eyes flashed with anger. "You tried to kill me! Erik how could you, you knew I would be coming down here, you left me the horse! You stole the horse!" She added, seeing this as the worst of his recent crimes. "And still you try some sort of Siren trick to drown me! Erik, what is your problem?" Odette actually bellowed in anger. Erik looked at her and couldn't resist a smile, her normal pallor was replaced by a flush of anger, her beautiful red hair had been blown asunder by her wild ride down the passages, and her eyes were an angry gray. "Don't smirk at me! Erik, I want an explanation!"  
"I wouldn't have pulled you in." He still smiled at her, she raised an eyebrow in response.   
"So, how do you do it, singing underwater?" Erik's eyes lit up, he had always liked to explain his inventions.  
"You remember I'm a ventriloquist?" Odette nodded. "I sing from the bank, and if I have to swim out I use a reed to breath under water" he said showing it to her, "I learned the trick from the Tonkin pirates."  
"Who have you used that trick on before?"  
"Only one, the Daroga, I realized it was him before I drowned him."  
"So, what do you have in mind, Erik?"  
"What do I have in mind?" He asked confused by the change in the conversation.  
"Tonight Erik, what do you have in mind if Christine doesn't sing in _Il Muto_?"  
"Carlotta will regret it, she will be ruined."   
"How so? How many will get hurt?"  
"No one." Odette closed her eyes relieved. "I brought Christine down here last night" Odette's eyes flew open in surprise, she had not believed that part of his notes. "She saw me, my face. Odette, you were wrong, she loves me for me!"  
"So do I!" Odette's eyes flashed again. "Erik I love you so much, I want you to be happy."   
"I _am_ happy, I have Christine." Odette sighed.  
"No, Erik I want you to be happy, with me. I love you! Erik can't you see that?"  
"Be in box five tonight. You will see what happens to Carlotta from there. I'll see you then." And with that Erik disappeared into his house. Sighing Odette started back across the lake.


	7. Chapter 7

That night Odette and Raoul sat in box five, Odette was not surprised to see that the managers had tried to ignore the notes and kept Carlotta in the lead role. Odette also noted that Carlotta had a larger and louder following than usual tonight. Intermission came without incident and Odette heard some of Carlotta's supporters talking about a plan hatched by Christine to make the Diva look bad. Odette laughed and returned to box five to watch the rest of the performance. Soon a voice roared out… "Did I not instruct that box five was to be kept empty?" Christine grinned _you didn't expect the Vicomte did you?_ Odette rose silently and started out of the box.  
"Where are you going," Raoul hissed.  
"I'm going to try to find him, don't worry I'll find you after." Odette flashed the Vicomte a quick smile and slipped from the box. She had seen a door in the rafters and was sure that Erik had spoken from there. Vaguely she heard the music restart, Odette flew back stage and up some stairs that landed her on the catwalks.  
Down on the stage Odette heard Christine mutter, "It's him!"  
"Your part is silent Little Toad" Carlotta cried.  
"A Toad Madame?" Erik sneered maliciously, materializing behind Odette, "perhaps it is you who are the toad." Odette frowned and Erik grinned at her, "Watch Carlotta." He demanded, "Now you will see."  
Below them, on stage La Carlotta began to sing again "…You can not speak, but kiss me in my Hu'_Croak_'" Valiantly she began again "Old fool for he makes me laugh." Then she began on the aria, (if you know anything about music let me know it that is the right term, thanks!) there the croak returned! A look of absolute horror crossed Carlotta's face as she fled the stage. Erik began to chuckle spitefully. "I replaced her throat spray," he informed Odette, with an evil laugh.  
The Managers appeared on stage saying that the performance would begin again and that Christine would now be playing the part of Countess. Erik chuckled again "See, Odette, I always get my way!" She looked at him in disbelief; he had changed so much since Mazenderan. Suddenly, Erik leapt in front of Odette, hiding her with his cape. She saw a stagehand walking through the gloom towards them asking what they were doing up here. Erik started after the person, but Odette grabbed his shoulder "No, Erik you can't!" He just smiled at her and dashed after the stagehand. Odette tried to follow, but her bulky taffeta skirt got caught. She watched, helplessly as Erik pursued the person through the catwalks. She lost sight of them somewhere over the stage. Seconds later, she heard the dancers and the audience scream, ripping her skirt free Odette ran to where she could see the stage. There she saw someone hanging from the catwalks, almost dead center on the stage. _Bloody Hell!_ Odette thought as she ran closer and saw that the person was actually Carla, the maid who worked with Bouquet. Odette began to look franticly for Erik, instead she saw the Vicomte run to Christine, and Christine led him up another flight of stairs towards the roof.

As quickly and silently as she could Odette began to follow, sure that Erik would find them. Almost at the roof she saw Erik melt silently from the shadows and follow the couple onto the roof. Odette ran after them and hid herself behind a statue, seeing that Erik stood hidden ten feet or so in front of her. Completely unaware that they had been followed, Christine and Raoul stood in each others arms. Then Raoul began to sing; "No more talk of darkness, forget these wide eyed fears. I'm here, nothing can harm you. My words will warm and calm you. Let me be your freedom, let daylight dry your tears. I'm here with you beside you. To guard you and to guide you" (be honest how many of you started singing?)  
Christine smiled and sang back, "Say you'll love me every waking moment…" Odette saw Erik flinch when Christine asked Raoul for his love. "All I want is freedom a world with no more night, and you always beside me to hold me and to hide me." Erik collapsed back against his statue, _How dare she love him, she promised me!_ Erik's heart was breaking, _first Odette, and now Christine has betrayed me!_  
Christine and Raoul both sang "Love me, that's all I ask of you." They kissed and Christine dropped a red rose, tied with a black velvet ribbon, Odette watched as Erik choked, and stood leaning against the statue for support.  
Christine and Raoul continued to sing, Odette reached for her dagger wondering if Erik would dare to interfere, but he was too distraught to move. Christine and Raoul returned to the Opera house, fearing that Christine would be missed. Erik stepped out from behind the statue and knelt to pick up the rose. Odette came silently up behind Erik, crouched next to him and rested her hand on his shoulder.  
"I gave you my music made you song take wing, and now how you've repaid me denied me and betrayed me." Erik sang softly and sadly, Odette leaned her head on his shoulder, Erik sang again, "He was bound to love you, when he heard you sing…Christine…"  
At the same moment Odette sang, "He has always loved her, Erik can't you see?" For a moment Erik actually leaned against her and Odette dared to think that she had won him back. At that moment, Erik began to tear the rose apart, and stood quickly and leaping to the top of one of the many statues adorning the roof of the Opera; leaving Odette crouched on the roof.  
**"YOU WILL CURSE THE DAY YOU DID NOT DO ALL THAT THE PHANTOM ASKED OF YOU!"** He cackled madly. With a soft sigh, Odette rose to her feet and deserted the roof.


End file.
